Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |image = |caption = Yas Marina Circuit |races = 7 |years = - |circuits = Yas Marina |mostdriverwins = Sebastian Vettel (3) |mostconstructorwins = Red Bull Racing (3)}} The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Arabic: سباق جائزة أبوظبي الكبرى) was a Formula One race. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates. The first race took place on November 1, 2009, held at the Hermann Tilke designed Yas Marina Circuit. History Origins Formula 1 first came to Abu Dhabi in 2007 in the guise of the first ever Formula One Festival. Announced in January 2007, the event which took place on 3 February 2007 was free, and the largest gathering of current Formula One cars and drivers outside of a Grand Prix. At the festival it was announced that Abu Dhabi had won the rights to host a Grand Prix from 2009 until 2016. Later that year, Etihad Airways negotiated a three-year deal for them to become sponsors of the Grand Prix. Races For the 2009 Formula One season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was added to the schedule. It was provisionally announced as being held on 15 November 2009, as the 19th and final Grand Prix of the season. Both the Canadian Grand Prix and French Grand Prix were later removed from the provisional schedule, and as a result the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was moved to 1 November 2009 where it would become the last of 17 meetings. In August 2009, it was announced that the start time would be 1700 local time (1300 UTC), and that the race would be floodlit. The inaugural race was won by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull Racing. For the 2010 Formula One season, the Grand Prix was held the weekend of 12, 13, 14 November 2010. The first race in Abu Dhabi in 2009 was a dead rubber as the both championships had been sealed in Brazil. This time around however, the drivers championship was decided in Abu Dhabi for the first time. With championship leader Fernando Alonso losing out and Sebastian Vettel completing his second victory on this track, the young German driver subsequently sealed the world championship. The 2011 Grand Prix was the 18th and penultimate race of the 2011 Formula One season, and took place on 13 November. The race was won by Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren-Mercedes. Second was Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari, with Jenson Button coming third in the other McLaren. Sebastian Vettel, in a Red Bull, had been in pole position, but retired after a puncture in the first lap whilst going round the second corner. In 2012 championship leader Sebastian Vettel finished the race in 3rd position after starting from the pitlane, due to his disqualification from qualifying because of not having enough fuel to return to parc fermé. His main championship rival Fernando Alonso finished 2nd behind the Finnish driver Kimi Räikkönen, who won for the first time after his return to Formula One earlier in 2012. During the 2013 Grand Prix won by Vettel, Red Bull Racing celebrated their fourth double (Drivers' Champion and Constructors' Champion) which they had clinched in India with Sebastian Vettel winning the drivers’ title for the fourth year in a row. Grands Prix held Venues Circuit Yas-Island.png|Yas Marina (2009-2015) Sponsors *2009-2015: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners By Year Repeat winners (drivers) Repeat winners (constructors) References #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi_Grand_Prix #http://www.statsf1.com/en/grand-prix-abu-dhabi.aspx Category:Grands Prix Category:Middle Eastern Grands Prix